Rugby union power rankings: how the teams stand a year from World Cup

With the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia now one year away, The Guardian has published power rankings for all 24 participating teams. South Africa, the reigning world champions, are highlighted as the team to beat despite a recent loss to Australia, having recovered strongly once Rassie Erasmus made bench changes. Their series win over New Zealand — coming back from 1-0 down to win 3-1 — is cited as their standout achievement of the year.